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Discovered : by J.J. Berzelius in 1824
Isolated in Stockholm, Sweden
Origin : The name is derived from the Latin ‘silicus’, meaning flint.
Description :
The second most abundant element on the surface of the Earth after oxygen. Sand and flint are silicon dioxide, as are semi-precious stones such as rock crystal and rhinestone. The element itself, when ultrapure, is blue-grey and used as the semi-conductor in ‘silicon chips’. Every year, 5,000 tonnes of semi-conductor-grade silicon and 500,000 tonnes of metallurgy-grade silicon are produced. Silicon is essential for some species, and perhaps for humans, in whom it is found in connective tissue and skin.
Image :
Diatom - siliceous and unicellular. Click here to see larger version of this image.
See also silicon chip chemsoc timeline entry. |
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